1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a strapping mechanism, and more particularly to a strapping mechanism having a tough configuration.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A typical strapping mechanism is shown in FIG. 3 and includes a base 60 having a stop 61 resiliently disposed therein and having a pair of lugs 62 oppositely provided therein, a handle 70 having a pawl 71 resiliently disposed therein and having a pair of ears 72 oppositely provided therein and aligned with the lugs 62 of the base 60 respectively, a ratchet wheel 80 disposed between each of the lugs 62 and a respective ear 72 and engageable with the stop 61 and the pawl 71, each of the ratchet wheels 80 including a hole 82 formed in the center thereof, and a rib 84 formed in the hole 82 so as to separate the hole 82 into a pair of opposite semi-circular openings 86, and a pair of shafts 90 engaged through the openings 86 so as to form a rotating axle of the base 60 and the handle 70. Each of the shafts 90 has a semi-circular cross section corresponding to the shape of the openings 86 and includes a flange 91 formed on one end for engagement with one of said ears 72 of said handle 70 and a stub 92 formed on the other end for engagement in the orifices 94 of a disc 93 which is engaged with the other ear 72, such that the lugs 62 of the base 60 and the ears 72 of the handle 70 are rotatable about the shafts 90, and the ratchet wheel 80 rotates in concert with the shafts 90. The pawl 71 causes the ratchet wheels 80 and the shafts 90 to rotate in an active direction when the handle 70 is pulled away from the base 60, and the stop 61 prevents the ratchet wheels 80 from rotating in a reverse direction, such that the ratchet wheels 80 and the shafts 90 can be caused to rotate step by step. In operation, one end of a strap is inserted through the gap formed between the shafts 90 such that the strap can be tensioned when the ratchet wheels 80 and the shafts 90 are rotated.
However, the shafts 90 are made by molding processes and should be made of alloy materials such that the manufacturing cost thereof is greatly increased; in addition, the strength of the shafts 90 is weak such that the shafts 90 are usually broken.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional strapping mechanisms.